Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound
by Misericordia13
Summary: Husky Harris gets a call from his Granddad, Blackjack Mulligan. Looks like he's going to spend a few days on the ranch, but a lot has changed since he spent summers there as a kid. (Pre-Bray Wyatt) HuskyXOC Rated M to be on the safe side.
1. When I Drink

A/N: I couldn't find Blackjack's wife's name anywhere, so we'll call her Granny mkay? And does anyone know if he goes by Windham, or Larry (since his middle name is Lawrence?) Anywhoo, hope you guys like this one ^_^

Windham set the weight down, grabbing for his cell phone. "Hey Granddaddy!" He said, balancing the phone on his shoulder. "Hey Husky! What are you up to?" His grandfather, Bob 'Blackjack Mulligan' Windham, asked. "Just working out. I'm off for a few days and bored out of my mind." "Why don't you come out and give me a hand tomorrow? I'm sure your granny would be glad to see you too." "Sure, I guess I can do that." "Good. See ya tomorrow kid."

The next morning Windham sat at his grandparent's kitchen table, sharing a pot of coffee with his Granddaddy. His Grandmother busied herself with cooking breakfast, the smell of sizzling bacon making him think of all those summers he spent here as a kid. "I'm sure glad to see you kid." Bob said, clapping a big hand on Windham's shoulder. "I appreciate you coming to help me. My handyman may not be able to today." Granny served up breakfast, placing plates of food down for the men. "Seen Wyatt today?" She asked as she took her seat next to Bob. "Not yet. Probably hung over." He joked and they both laughed, leaving Windham out of the joke. "So what's on the agenda for today, Pops?" He asked, busying himself with one of Granny's homemade biscuits. "Gotta repair some fences, deal with some fallen trees." A door clicked in the back of the house and his grandparents looked over his shoulders for the source.

"Wyatt, child...come get some breakfast!" Granny called. "You look like you need some coffee." Windham busied himself filling Bob In about how his parents were doing and stopped mid sentence when he spotted a tall girl with short red hair at the stove. "Syrup's on the table, Wyatt." "Thanks Granny." She replied. "Boy, you look like you crawled home last night." Bob jeered. "Celebrate your birthday with old mumbled 7 again?" She nodded, her back to him. "Get your hair of the dog and drink your coffee. You'll be better soon enough." The redhead placed her plate on the table at the last empty seat next to Windham before reaching into the fridge. "Wyatt this is Windham, my grandson." Bob introduced them. As she sat she brushed her hand off on her dirty jeans and offered a handshake to him. "Nice to meet you." "You too..." He replied, still confused as to why there was a hungover redheaded woman in his grandparent's kitchen. She unscrewed the top from the bottle of Jack and apologized for drinking in the kitchen before lifting the bottle to her lips, taking a mighty swig. "There ya go." Bob commented as she capped it and set it aside. "Now eat up, bacon grease and bread helps." She eyed the food suspiciously, her hands in the front pockets of her black hoodie. "Go ahead. I've been through enough hangovers to know." He encouraged. She poked a finger into the side of a biscuit and filled it with syrup.

"You helping us today, kid?" Bob asked. "Yea, I'll help ya old man." She said, taking a bite of her bacon. "Windham's gonna help us too." She nodded at him. "So how was your birthday?" Granny asked her. "Not that wonderful. Sorry I didn't come home. I was too drunk to drive." "You got into a fight?" Bob asked, eyeing her busted knuckles. "Yea. Willie said he had to work and couldn't see me but when I went to the bar he was there with some blonde." "Did he hit you?" Granny asked with concern. "No ma'am. I hit first. And I hit the hardest." She grinned as she took a sip of her black coffee. Bob laughed, "Listen to her! I taught ya well, Wyatt." She bit her lip and stated down at her plate. "Excuse me." She muttered before pushing back from the table and making a beeline for the bathroom. "Yup, the grease is kicking in. Come out to the fence when you feel better!" He called after her. "We'd better get a move on kid, we're wasting daylight."


	2. Rough and Ready

A/N: The Wyatt Family's Bitch: Awww you! Stop it =P thanks muchos for that review, made me feel good. I thought this may have been a awkward one, but my inner redneck wanted to come out lol. Wyatt and Bob are kind of based off of my Dad and I and our misadventures we're had. Thanks for the love, miserychick-17 Enjoy guys!

"Who is she?" Windham asked as he stepped up into his Granddaddy's big Ford pickup. "My handyman." Bob chuckled. "I put an ad in the paper for a ranch hand and she was the first to reply." "So you have a girl as your ranch hand?" "She works just as hard as I do. Then she comes in and helps your Granny with the house. She's been a blessing around the house, really. She's not hard to live with at all." Windham's shook his head. "So you hire some girl to be your live in ranch hand?" "She's not some girl, I've known her since she was a little thing. She's a tough one. I got a call from the sheriff this morning and he was so tickled he didn't know what to do. He kept her overnight in the drunk tank cause she laid her boyfriend out with a single haymaker!" He laughed, slapping the steering wheel.

He pulled to a stop in front of the big red barn and said he'd be right back as he stepped out. Windham fussed with the radio a bit, finding Disturbed on the Internet radio. He drummed on the dashboard as he watched Bob retrieve a roll of wire and some various tools before flipping a switch on the breaker box outside the barn. He walked back and set the tools in the back bed. "You kids and your loud music." He fussed as he climbed back in the truck and mashed a station favorite button on the radio. "Wyatt likes that loud screaming stuff too. But I got her into the good stuff." He bragged as he flipped the station to Willie Nelson radio.

Bob drove to the treeline at the edge of his property and parked by a big black Dodge pickup. "Hey Wyatt!" He called. She turned down the Johnny Cash song playing in her truck and stuck her head out the window. "Did you bring the gun? Might need it since I had to turn the fence off!" She nodded, pointing at the gun rack behind her. "Good." He called as the three of them climbed from the trucks and shut the doors. "Feelin better kid?" He asked, punching Wyatt's arm lightly. "Yeah, somewhat." Bob stood with his hands on his hips, looking over the work that needed to be done. "You kids dispose of those fallen trees and I'll fix the fence." He instructed. Wyatt nodded and adjusted the bill of her baseball cap before grabbing an axe from the bed of Bob's truck, heading for the fallen trees. "I'll move them..." Windham offered but Wyatt sunk her axe into one of the biggest trees and pulled it away from the fence line. She began chopping it into thick sections and he grabbed an axe and followed suit.

He stopped for a breather after shopping up one tree ad she soldiered on. Both Bob and Windham watched her briefly, watched her swing the axe in a wide ark and embedding the axe head with an loud crack. She felt their eyes on her and she paused briefly. "What?" She asked. "No offense, but I think this is the first time I've ever seen a girl swing an axe before." Windham replied. She grinned and readied her axe again, taking it to another tree. Windham swung away too, but by the time he finished with his first tree she was already on her second. He worked harder, not wanting to let a girl show him up. Bob grinned to himself as he fixed the electric line, occasionally looking up to glance at the youngsters blatantly in competition with each other.

After a while the back of Wyatt's truck was filled with large sections of the fallen trees and he'd repaired the broken section they'd caused. "Good job you two!" He congratulated as they tossed the last two hunks. "Windham why don't you help her split those and stack them by the house? Dinner should be ready before dark." "Okay Granddaddy." He replied, wiping the sweat from his brow with his shirt sleeve. Wyatt loaded their axes in the toolbox of her truck and motioned for him to take the passenger seat.

They rode back to the house in silence, the radio playing George Jones. Wyatt pulled up beside the red barn and left the truck switched on, turning the radio up before climbing out. "Where are we stacking it?" Windham asked as she passed him an axe. "Just against the wall there." She replied as she grabbed two rimless tires from behind the shed, tossing him one. "What's this for?" She laughed, the first genuine smile he'd seen on her. "Watch and learn, kid." She lay the tire on it's side, putting a chunk of wood in it. With four swings the wood was in eight pieces held together neatly by the tire. "Makes things a bit easier." She remarked as she retrieved the pieces, stacking them neatly against the wall. "Oh...gotcha." He replied, following suit.

Sometime later they both stood leaning on the axe handles, the wood stacked high against the wall. "Not bad. That didn't take long." He said. "Nope. Not at all." She replied, taking off her ball cap and wiping away the sweat. "What now?" He asked. "I'm going swimming myself. Whatever you wanna do next is up to you." She said, nodding to the passenger seat. "I don't have my swim trunks..." "Bathing suits are for pansies."


	3. Fallin and Flyin

He climbed in the passenger seat again, nervously playing with the fringe in the holes at the knees of his jeans. She fussed with the radio while she drove, finding The Allman Brother's song 'Midnight Rider' and singing along. Windham sang along too under his breath, still a bit nervous around this new girl. She stopped at the creek and kicked her shoes and socks off in the truck. Windham smiled, remembering the summers he spent swimming in this creek with his brother Taylor. He kicked off his shoes too and followed her. At the bank of the creek she moved to pull her shirt off and he turned away. She laughed as she pulled the black t-shirt over her head. "Look at you, being all gentleman like." He shrugged as he undid the buttons of his plaid shirt. He heard her undo her zipper and a few seconds later a rather large splash. He turned to spot her shirt and jeans hanging from the nearest tree and hung his shirt near them before stepping out of his jeans. He turned to walk to the bank and was surprised to see her watching him. "What?" He asked, freezing in his tracks. He felt just a little too exposed standing there in his Superman boxers. She smiled mischievously before diving under and swimming in his direction. He dipped his feet in as she surfaced. "Don't be a pussy, jump in!" Even in the Texas heat, the water was still a bit too cold for his liking.

She grinned as she waded in one spot, the straps of her black sports bra a sharp contrast against her damp pale skin. "C'mon, don't be such a girl! Jump in!" "You talk a lot of smack for a girl." He teased. "Daddy didn't raise no coward. Bob didn't either. C'mon now, get in! It feels good, I promise." He waved her away and took a step back. He never did care for jumping in from here. That was always Taylor's thing, swinging from the rope that had once been tied to the tree here. He'd always cannonball in and nearly drown Windham. "C'mon Superman!" She chided. With that he stepped forward and leaped. The too-cool water brought goosebumps to his sun-warmed skin. He surfaced with a hiss, the cold water a shock to his system. "There ya go!" She grinned as she did the backstroke away from him. "Bob didn't tell me that I'd be working with Husky Harris today." "Yea. Mid card jobbers get a good bit of off time." "You'll find your way up one day. I've seen you on tv, I watch it with Bob and Granny. They're very proud of you and you're brother." Windham frowned slightly. "I always thought I'd be on top by now." She shrugged, disturbing the water around her. "You're talented enough, you'll make it." As they swam he wracked his brain for something to say to break the awkward silence. "So...what kind of a name is Wyatt for a girl?" He asked. "What kind of name is Windham?" Oops, he'd offended her. "Touché, touché." "Wyatt is my middle name, Momma's maiden name. I never liked my first name." "What is it?" He asked and she shook her head, sending out a halo of water droplets around her. "I don't tell people my first name." "Alright then, I'll just ask Granddaddy." He grinned. She leaned forward and raked the water with her arm, sending a wave right in his face. He shook his wet curls from his face and as she laughed he splashed her, causing her to cough on a mouthful of creek water. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that!" She laughed through the coughs. "Gotta catch me first!" He yelled as he swam away from her.

She chased after him, determined to keep his tattooed back in sight. She lunged for him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, ducking his head under with her free arm. He grabbed her and flipped her over his shoulder. She surfaced, sputtering up water through giggles. They both waded along, smiling broadly as they laughed. "We should probably dry out a bit." She said. "It'll be dark soon." He nodded even though he wasn't quite ready to get out. He watched as she climbed up onto the dock and sat with her feet dangling in the water. He laughed when he spotted the giant Batman symbol on the boxers he wore. "Is that why you laughed earlier? I'm wearing Superman and you're wearing Batman?" "Pretty much." She grinned as he joined her on the dock. She stood and walked back to her truck, returning with a few towels and handed him a cold beer, leaving the truck playing music. He tried not to watch her as she wrapped the towel around her lean muscled body, leaving her freckled shoulders exposed as she popped the tab on her Pabst and took a drag. "So, you staying for dinner?" She asked as she dangled her feet in the water. He took a gulp of beer and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yea, Granddaddy told me to stay the night in the guest room for the night." She nodded. "Staying for a couple of days?" "Maybe..if i don't get called in for work. I doubt it, though." Awkward silence fell between them until Conway Twitty's baritone "Hello darlin..." Came through on the radio and they both laughed. "It's been a loooong time!" Windham sang in the deepest voice he could manage, making her laugh harder. "I heard you singing earlier. You've got a pretty nice voice." "Thanks." He replied as she stood, retrieving her clothes. They dressed in silence as Waylon Jennings played in the background.


	4. Have You Ever Seen the Rain?

**The Wyatt Family's Bitch: don't get too attached (and don't say I didn't warn ya!) lol watch your feels!**

The sun shone a bright yellow behind the trees as it dipped lower and the night time creatures started playing their tune. "We'd best get back." Wyatt remarked. "It's going to storm hard soon." Windham shot her an odd look. "What makes you think that?" The sky was streaked with light fluffy clouds against the blue and orange sky but there were no rain clouds in sight. "Don't you hear the frogs?" He looked at her puzzled. "They're warning you. They're saying 'knee-deep, knee-deep'." He glared at her and she laughed. "You never heard that before?" "No!" She laughed harder, leaning back against the dock.

By the time they got back the sun had set and the stars were out. "Shit. I hope we haven't missed dinner." Wyatt commented as they climbed the steps two at the time. When they walked inside Granny and Bob were already eating and their places were already set at their empty chairs. "It took you that long to chop wood?" Bob asked as they slid into their seats. They both held their heads down like guilty children. Bob slid them both beers. "Here you guys deserve these." They busied themselves with eating dinner and Bob winked at Granny. They both knew where the kids had been. After all, their hair was still dripping wet. The elders chatted and Windham watched Wyatt as she ate, ducking his attention back to his plate whenever she looked up. Wyatt finished eating first and she excused herself from the table. She hugged Granny and Bob goodnight and nodded at Windham. "Goodnight folks."

Granny stood and cleared the table of dishes as Bob passed Windham another Budweiser. He settled back in his chair and popped the top on another one himself. "So son, whatcha think?" "About what?" Windham asked, his mind distracted as he watched her walk down the hall and turn into Taylor's old room. "About Wyatt." Windham shrugged, honestly at a loss for words. He wasn't quite sure how to feel about her yet, actually. "She's a stubborn as a mule, but she's a great girl. She's almost like family." Bob remarked. "Yea, she seems nice." Windham replied, staring down at his beer. Bob shook his head as he stood, grabbing his beer and heading for the tv room. "Wanna watch a western or two?" He asked. "No thanks Granddaddy. I think I may go to bed. My back is pretty tired." He hugged and kissed his Granny and nodded to Bob as he passed. "Goodnight kid." Granny and Bob watched Windham as he walked down the hall, going into his old bedroom across from Taylor's. "Think she's playing with him?" Granny asked. "She's quite the heartbreaker." "That she is." Bob nodded. "I can't tell if she's into him or not, but she's got him hook, line, and sinker." "I hope she doesn't break his heart." Granny replied. "Poor boy's had his heart broken enough."

Windham changed into clean pajama pants and climbed under the covers, turning on the mp3 player app on his phone. Hours later he still tossed and turned but he couldn't sleep, even with the lightly falling rain on the tin roof. He was thinking about bright blue eyes and her freckled shoulders. The sinewy muscles of her torso and her long lean legs. Those perfect lips that she bit the corner of when he was walking to the edge of the stream. He sat up in frustration, deciding he'd never get any sleep if he laid there in the dark listening to 'Tuesday's Gone'. He opened the door as easily as possible and tiptoed to the front door. The cool night air felt good on his bare back as he shut the front door as easily as possible, thinking about watching it rain outside the porch until he was sleepy.

"Not tired either?" Her voice made him jump and he wheeled around to find her perched on the porch swing on the darker area of the porch. "Shit you scared me!" He groaned. She leaned forward out of the shadows and grinned. "Sorry! You should have seen your face!" She laughed. She motioned at the yard. "Told ya it was gonna rain." "Yup, you did." He leaned against the railing, not trusting it enough to sit on it. He heard the scratch and hiss and watched as she lifted the lit match to the cigarette hanging from her lips. "Do me a favor, don't mention to them that I smoke, okay? Granny would kill me." He nodded. "I only smoke two or three a week. You know, everyone has their vices." He nodded.


	5. Ring of Fire

**A/N: the Wyatt Family's Bitch: Glad to see you enjoying it! Din't get too mad at me for this chapter, kay? Lol**

She motioned for him to sit by her and he took a seat on the swing as she took another draw from her cig. They didn't talk for a while, just listening to the night. The livestock and horses made noises as thunder rolled in the distance, drawing nearer to the ranch. He wanted to talk to her, but he had no idea what to break the ice with. She eyed his tennis shoes and skull tshirt he'd slipped on over his plaid sleep pants before coming outside. "I'm not sleepy. Want to go for a ride?" She asked. "Ugh...sure." He replied. She slipped back inside the house and retrieved a few things. She came back wearing a striped hoodie over her denim shorts, car keys and a six pack in hand. They ducked their heads and ran through the light rain to her truck. They both laughed, shaking the rain off and she popped the tab on a beer handing it to him as she lit another cig. "Where are we going?" He asked. "Oh, just this cool spot I found on the ranch."

He sipped his beer as she drove, the radio playing as the rain thudded lightly on the windshield. She pulled to the edge of a canyon and parked. The sky was an open starry canvas before them. "Isn't this pretty?" She asked. "Yea, it really is." He replied. She popped the tab on a beer for herself. "This is usually more fun when I'm not stuck in the truck." "What do you usually do up here?" He asked hesitantly. "I usually climb that hill there.." She said, pointing out of his window. "There's a waterfall there that starts the creek. I lay up there and listen to it while I watch the sky. I camp right here occasionally." He nodded, taking a sip of his beer. "I'm really glad you came to stay a few days." She told him as she hid her hands in her sleeves and took a sip of her beer as he stretched his arm out across the back of the seat. "I hate to think of you leaving." He sipped his beer in silence, not knowing of what to say next. She slid across the seat, closing the space between them.

She cuddled up against his side, her hand on his knee. "I have to admit it. I've got a bit of a crush on you, Windham." He grinned and hid behind his beer as he took another drink. She took the can from him and set it aside before climbing into his lap, reaching down between his legs to ease the seat back. "I want you, Windham." She whispered in his ear as she ran a hand through his soft brown curls. His hands found their way to her hips as she kissed him. Thunder crashed near the house, causing the window by his bed to rattle. Windham's eyes snapped open and scanned the room around him. Damn it, it was all just a dream! He had fallen asleep. Frustrated he threw the covers off, feeling like the bedclothes were sticking to his too warm skin. With a huff he clasped his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling, processing what was just on his mind.

He stepped from his bed and padded down the hall as quietly as possible. He peeked his head out the front door, but she wasn't there like he hoped. He walked back to his own room with his head hung low, eyeing the door to what used to be Taylor's room as he passed. He thought about the pale skinned beauty laying behind it as he paced the floor wide awake with her on his mind. He spotted a bottle of vodka in his bag and took several gulps before laying down, willing himself to sleep. The alcohol burned in his belly, matching the fevered pace it felt like his mind was running.

"Hey kid, wake up. You going with us?" Windham's eyes snapped open as he sought out his alarm clock. 7 a.m? "Where are you going?" He croaked, his voice still thick with sleep. "Granny likes for everyone to go to church on sunday mornings." Bob calked through the door. "If you get up and take a shower now, you've got enough time to get ready. Breakfast is on the counter for you." Windham climbed out of bed and ran his fingers through his messy hair as he dug through his suitcase for something presentable to wear. He settled on a blue and black checkered button up and a nice pair of jeans before leaving his room. "Mornin." Wyatt said to him as they passed at the bathroom door. "Mornin." He replied. After a quick shower he stepped into his cowboy boots and headed for the kitchen.

"You look nice." He complemented Granny and kissed her cheek before grabbing a biscuit. He grinned at the sight of Granddaddy in all black and cowboy boots. He was a black hat shy of Have Gun Will Travel. Wyatt strode into he kitchen, wearing light colored jeans and a black John Deer shirt with work boots. "Still no dress?" Granny teased her. "No dress." She grinned as she reached for a biscuit as well. "Windham you'll have to ride with Wyatt. My truck being a single cab and all." Bob informed him. He gulped and nodded.


	6. Good Hearted Woman

**A/N: thanks everyone for the love ^_^ Glad you guys are digging it!  
Strutter90: sorry! I kinda intended to trick ya a bit =p.  
The Wyatt Family's Bitch: don't fangirl just yet! Lol**

Wyatt glanced at him a few times as she drove. He kept his head down, pretending to be interested in the tractor magazine that she had laying on the seat. "Windham..." He jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. "What's goin on boy? You're jumpier than a tom cat in a room full of rocking chairs." She laughed. "Nothing.." He replied, pretending to be really interested in the John Deere on the page he was glancing at. "I didn't know you had such an interest in tractors." "They're interesting.." He replied. "I used to drive Granddaddy's." She grinned in a sort of lopsided way and glanced at him. "I was going to tell you that shirt looks really nice on you. Blue is your color." He grinned. "Thanks. You look nice too."

She parked beside Bob and Windham rounded the truck to open Granny's door while Wyatt fussed with her hair. He helped Granny step down from the truck and turned to watch as Wyatt took a minute to put on some lip gloss. When she caught him looking he opened her door for her. "Thank you. Such a gentleman." She teased. "Wyatt!" A voice called from across the churchyard. A tall dark headed man with broad shoulders called out to her and she strode over to him, her hands in her hip pockets. "I guess Willie's gonna make amends." Granny said. Windham squinted at the man in the distance and spotted the sickly yellow and purple shiner her still sported. "That's her ex that she laid out." Bob churckled as Windham held the church door for them. "I'd be ashamed to show up in church with a shiner." Granny whispered as they slid into a pew. Wyatt sauntered past, sliding into a pew with another guy, a blonde this time. Bob shook his head and Windham mentally kicked himself for the pang of jealousy he felt rising up.

After church he stood leaning against her truck with his arms crossed, waiting for her. "Windham, is that you?" He turned, momentarily tearing his attention away from Wyatt. A petite brunette in a white sundress stood nearby, smiling at him. "Last time I seen you, you were a blonde." She joked, referring back to the time he went a bit crazy in college and bleached his hair. "Shiloh!" She ran to him, wrapping her arms around him. "It's so good to see you! Your Granddaddy said you're a famous wrestler now." He grinned lopsidedly. "Sort of." He replied. "How have you been? You look great!" He asked. "Good. I'm still in school, working on my degree." She smiled. "That's really good to hear." It'd been years since he seen her last. They'd dated off and on for nearly two years, mostly when he was in town for the summers. "You should give me a text sometime, I'd love to hear from you." She said and he pulled his cellphone from his pocket. They exchanged numbers and she kissed his cheek. "It's so good to see you." She smiled, her hand lingering on his arm. "You too." He replied as she turned to leave, heading for her car.

Windham turned and watched as Wyatt walked through the church doors with the blonde, stopping to shake hands and speak to the minister. All of the wind seemed to be knocked out of him when he seen her. Outside the doors she hugged the blonde a bit too tightly in his opinion and bounded over to him, pulling her truck keys from her back pocket. "What's with the frown, cowboy?" She asked as she unlocked the doors, letting him in. "Nothing." "Not much for the church scene either? I only go out of respect for Bob and Granny." He shrugged slightly, flipping up the sleeve cuffs on his shirt. She turned on the radio to break the silence between them. "You don't talk a lot, do you?" She asked out of curiosity. "Just not a lot to say."

Back at home Bob sent Wyatt out to inspect the fences and to make sure all the animals were tended to. He rested a big hand on Windham's shoulder and passed him a cup of coffee. "Come sit on the porch with me for a bit, boy." They took seats in the rocking chairs and Windham raised the hot coffee to his lips gently. "I think we need to talk about something." Bob began as Windham watched Wyatt ride by on a buckskin pony, her bright red hair hidden under a black ball cap. "I've seen the way you look at that girl." Bob said and Windham almost choked on his coffee. "Don't set your sights on her." He warned and Windham tried to protest. "I've been on this earth long enough to know that look you give her, son. It's the same look I gave your Granny before she decided to let me court her." Windham frowned, hiding behind his coffee mug. "That girl will chew you up and spit you out. She's a good girl, but every strapping young man in these parts is fighting for her attention. And she's had a string of suitors, but she's still a bit wild. I'm just trying to save you a bit of heartache here." "You know how life is on the road Granddaddy. It doesn't really leave time for dating anyway." Windham replied as he rocked. "Yea. Just warning ya. That one there will scorch ya sure as a hot stove."

Wyatt stepped up the porch to Bob and handed him back the keys to the barn and the tractor. Windham's phone vibrated and he read the text from Shiloh as Wyatt talked to Bob. She told him everything was fine on the ranch and she'd be leaving in a bit. She had a date with Hunter, the blonde she'd seen in church earlier. Bob shook his head. "I guess I won't wait up for you then." "Don't wait up for me either." Windham grinned. "I saw you talking to Shiloh earlier. Got a hot date?" Bob asked and he nodded. "Good. She's a great girl." An odd look flashed across Wyatt's features, just quick enough for Windham to pick up on before she opened the screen door and walked back inside.


	7. Fast as You

**A/N: Strutter90: drama indeed! The Wyatt Family's Bitch: watch your feels, and don't beat me up for the ending mkay? Haha**

Shiloh smiled as Windham pulled up in her driveway, driving his Granddaddy's truck. She looked really cute in her denim shorts, plaid shirt and cowboy boots. She climbed in and leaned across the seat to kiss his cheek. "Thanks for picking me up." "Thanks for inviting me to this party." He replied as he backed out of her drive. She's asked him out to a party an old football buddy of his was having. "I still can't believe you aren't married by now." He teased. "The boys around here don't know what they're passing up." She beamed at his compliment. "I've dated some. I just haven't found 'the one' yet, ya know?" "Yea, I know how that is." He replied. They chatted for a while catching up on lost time until he stopped at a gas station to pick up ice and drinks before he drove them out of town to old man Wilson's farm.

After a while they drove down a long dirt road and came into a field. The old barn was already surrounded by pickups and people. It'd been a long, long time since he'd been at a party like this. He hopped out and opened Shiloh's door for her and held his arm out to her. "Windham man! How ya been?" "Jimmy!" Windham shook hands with a buff bearded guy who'd been the high school's linebacker back when they were in school. "How's the WWE life been?" Jimmy asked and he shrugged. "Going fine so far, man. I'm getting there. How have you been?" Windham made the rounds talking to his old high school buddies with Shiloh on his arm, laughing at his jokes and fawning over him. As night fell a big fire was started out in front of the barn and everyone backed their trucks up in a circle around it, sitting in the beds of the trucks and on crates and five gallon buckets. Jimmy turned a country station on in his truck and everyone broke out their coolers while some of the boys tended to the pig cooking on the bbq. Windham had been to quite a few parties since starting his wrestling career, but he missed these parties.

Shiloh slid across the tailgate close to him and he wrapped an arm around her like old times as they chatted. Jimmy called out for everyone to come get food and Shiloh offered to grab him a plate. As everyone headed for the food Windham spotted Wyatt across the way sitting on a tailgate with Hunter. He frowned, reaching for a beer out of his cooler. She smiled broadly at Hunter, her hand on his thigh. Winham scolded himself. What was he getting angry for, anyway? It wasn't like she was his girl after all. Shiloh sat back on the tailgate, passing him his plate. She noticed where he was looking and frowned. "I didn't know Wyatt was here. I wonder whose boyfriend she'll end up stealing tonight." Windham widened his eyes in surprise as he passed her a beer. "She doesn't seem that bad.." He replied. "She changes boyfriends more than I change my socks." She said popping a top on her Budweiser. "How do you know her, anyway?" "She works for my Granddaddy." "Oh! That's right!" She replied. "She's got quite the reputation around here." Windham frowned, busing himself with the plate of food Shiloh had brought him. After everyone had eaten and gotten a few beers in them the various couples began dancing around the fire. Shiloh grabbed Windham's hands and motioned for him to dance with her. They danced to a Conway Twitty song and Shiloh rested her head against his chest as they danced. He tried to ignore the face that Wyatt was dancing with the other guy and focus on the cute brunette he held. Soon enough he only paid attention to her and forgot about the redhead across the way.

Windham drove Shiloh back home and she slid across the seat to plant a big kiss on him. "Thanks Windham, it was fun." "It really was. Like old times." She grinned and he kissed her again before she climbed out of the truck. She waved as he backed out of her driveway. He drove along singing along to the George Jones song on the radio. By the time he got home he saw Wyatt sitting on the porch swing, her head in her hands. "Your date a bust?" He joked as he stepped onto the porch. "Hunter is a jerk. I see you had a good time with Miss Goody Two-Shoes." She scoffed. "I did, thank you." He replied, the alcohol burning in him. He walked back to the truck and retrieved a bottle from his cooler. He passed it to her and took a seat beside her. They both were already slurring their words, what would another drink hurt? "From what I hear, you'll have no trouble finding another one." She made a noise in protest and took a big swig of the Jack Daniels. "Don't believe everything you hear around here. Especially from little miss know it all. She's never liked me." His eyes widened, had he mentioned Shiloh saying anything? "Willie was the first serious boyfriend I'd had in a while but he went all around town trying to say I was a slut, when really it was him that was cheating on me!" She passed the bottle to Windham and he considered bailing on the rest of her sob story and blaming it on the alcohol. "Hunter asked me out, but he's a jerk. Really, I like someone else, but I don't think he's going to stay around long." She said, her face dangerously close to Windham's. He gathered up enough courage to kiss her when the porch light flickered on, startling them both. He was inches away from her lips when Bob stuck his head out of the screen door and Windham pulled back. "It's about time you kids got home."


	8. Just to Satisfy You

**A/N: apparently I am all about the W names in this fic. Nobody beat me, this fic will continue, even if the end of the chapter feels like it could be an ending. Btw, the song lyrics are from 'Just to Satisfy You' by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson. Basically Wyatt's theme song. Also, I promise there will be an update to The Ruler and the Killer soon. Just not totally satisfied with what I've written so far.  
The Wyatt Family's Bitch: here, you're allowed to fangirl now lol.**

The next morning Windham woke to an empty house. He found a note on the refrigerator saying that Bob and Granny were in town and wouldn't be back until late. He shook his head at the timing. He's just gotten a call back into work and already purchased tickets to leave that night. He downed a cup of coffee and pulled on his Nexus ball cap as he strode outside, wanting to get some horseback riding done before he had to leave. He heard music coming from the barn. "Hey." A voice chided as he neared the barn. He stared up at Wyatt and rolled his eyes. "I thought you were in town with Granny and Granddaddy." "Someone had to hang out and watch after the critters." She said as she leaned out of the hay loft, lowering herself to the ground with the pulley system. "Wanna go for a ride?"

Inside the barn she grabbed a saddle and passed by Windham, going into the first stall. "Here, you can ride Dillon." She said petting the buckskin pony's side. "He's really gentle. Listens pretty well too." Windham saddled the horse as Wyatt saddled hers, a beautiful black mustang. "This is Waylon, he's mine. He hates your Granddaddy." She laughed. "Bob usually rides Dillon." They mounted up and she steered Waylon through the barn and to the edge of the woods. Dillon took a few unsteady steps before getting in sync with Windham. It'd been a few years since he'd ridden a horse.

As the horses trotted through the woods Windham asked if she knew when Granny and Bob would get back. "They usually go out to eat and stuff when they run errands." "Damn. I've got to leave tonight." She glanced at him as she steered Waylon around a fallen tree. "Back to work?" "Yea." "I can give you a ride to the airport, if you need it." "Sure. Thanks." He replied as he urged Dillon to match Waylon's gallop. "I'm sure they'll hate to see you go." She remarked. "Yea. I was getting too used to being back. I almost hate to go back." She glanced at him as their horses strode along. "Shiloh will be disappointed." "She'll be fine. Besides, we're just friends." "Certainly look like more than friends." Was that a hint of jealousy?

She urged Waylon forward and they galloped on ahead, leaving Bray and Dillon behind. When they caught up Wyatt already had Waylon back in his stall and was sliding the saddle from him. Windham followed suit, stopping when he noticed Wyatt climbing back into the hayloft. He tried not to focus on the shape of her body as she climbed the ladder in her tight jeans. "What are you doing now?" "Stacking the hay." She called down. He climbed up as well, considering offering to help her. She grabbed two bales at the time, swinging them into place until one stack leaned, threatening to topple. He ran over, bracing the tower of straw with one hand before pushing it into place. "Slow down." He grunted as she grabbed two more bales. He grabbed bales too and helped. Before long the walls were lined with bales of hay, a pretty thick carpet of loose straw still coating the floor. "Truthfully, I'll kind of miss you when you're gone." She said. "And extra set of hands comes in handy." He disregarded the last part, taking it as a compliment that she'd miss him.

"I'll miss you too. Even if you are a horse's ass." She turned to him, a genuine look of surprise on her face. "And what gave you that assumption?" The song 'Just to Satisfy You' played in the background between them and he broke out laughing at the irony of it. "What?" She fumed.

**_Someone's gonna get hurt before you're through  
Someone's gonna pay for the things you do  
How many hearts must break, how many will it take  
To satisfy you, just to satisfy you_**

He closed the distance between them and grabbed her hips, pulling her to him. He took her face in both hands and captured her lips in a bruising kiss. He could feel her resistance finally melt away and she moaned against his lips in surprise. Her hands made their way to his sides and he brushed her cheek with his thumb as he held it, moving his other hand to her waist. He broke the kiss and stepped away from her. "You're a horse's ass for being such a damn tease." She bit her lip as she looked him over and this time she closed the distance between them and kissed him. His phone buzzed in his pocket, an alarm letting him know he should be headed to the airport and he pulled away from her with a resounding 'fuck!' "What?" She asked, worried that he was regretting what he'd just done. "If we don't leave now, I'll miss my flight."

She picked him up at the porch and he swung his suitcase over the side of the truck, setting it in the bed before climbing in the truck. "For the record, you're a horse's ass." She stated as she pulled out of the driveway. "Kissing girls when you've got a girlfriend." "She really is just a friend." He muttered as he watched the ranch shrink in the side mirror, already feeling homesick for it. She pulled into the small airport and he hopped out, grabbing his suitcase. He jogged around the truck to her door and opened it. She stood to to face him and took his hat off before he kissed her urgently. "Hold this thought. We'll continue when I come back." He said before jogging to the doors of the airport. She grinned and put the Nexus cap on before climbing back behind the wheel. He's a pretty good kisser, she'll give him that. And he was awfully damn cute. And pretty damn persistent. As an afterthought she grabbed her cellphone and sent him a text until next time.

_By the way, the name is Abigail.  
Call me that, and I'll break your legs. - W_


	9. It Ain't Me Babe

**The Wyatt Family's Bitch: okay the last one was a good chapter, watch your feels with this one.**

Windham picked up his phone as it buzzed, let him know he had a Skype call. "Hey horse ass." Wyatt greeted him when he picked up. "Nice to see you too." He replied, sitting on the foot of the bed in his new hotel room. "Your Grandparents wanted to say goodbye properly. So here ya go." She set her laptop down in front of the couple and adjusted it so their faces filled the screen. He chatted with them for a while about his plane ride and how much he missed them already. After about twenty minutes they called Wyatt back to retrieve her laptop. "Later, loser." She said, moving to close her laptop. "No wait a second!" He protested, catching her before she closed the program. "What if I want to talk to you for a minute?" She rolled her eyes. "Lemme shut down my computer. I'll skype you from my phone." He grinned broadly and agreed, setting about finding something to watch on tv in the meantime.

He got another skype call and he answered it with a grin. "What's got you grinning like a jackass?" She muttered as she laid down on her bed staring into the phone screen. "Is it so wrong that I miss you?" She sighed. "You're reading too much into this already." "Into what?" He asked. "Just because I kissed you doesn't mean I want some serious relationship." "Who said this had to be serious? Can't we work on being friends at least?" He asked. "Besides, you're not completely appalled by me, you are still wearing my hat. She shrugged. "It's a nice hat." He laughed at her hard headedness. "Can't you drop the billy badass persona for a bit and just talk to me?" He asked. "What makes you think this is a persona?" He shook his head, sucking in a breath in frustration. "You act like you have to prove to everyone that you're a badass. You don't have to prove anything to me." She huffed and looked down, taking her eyes off of him. "Give me a chance before you build up all these walls and lock me out." "Windham, you need some pretty little girl to go steady with and eventually settle down with. It ain't me, babe." He laughed and laid back against the bed, holding the phone over his face. "What's so goddamn funny?" She spat. "You got me all wrong, _babe_. And what are you now, a Johnny Cash song?" He laughed. "_It ain't me babe no no no, it ain't me babe. It ain't me you're lookin for, babe_." He sang, grinning at the screen. "You're gonna make me regret kissing you, aren't you." "I get what I want." He teased. "Can't you go bother Shiloh or something?" She huffed. "Would it make you jealous?" "Bye Windham." She huffed before ending the skype call. Yeah, he was definitely getting somewhere all right. He sighed and tossed his phone aside and getting up, setting about getting ready to go to work.

Later that night Wyatt curled up on the end of the couch, still wearing Windham's Nexus hat. "Eager to watch wrestling tonight?" Bob smirked as he and Granny got ready to watch. She shrugged and he winked at Granny. Wyatt hugged her knees to her chest as the show began and it was said that CM Punk had taken over the Nexus and each member would have to go through an initiation. "He's probably going to order the other boys to beat Windham up." Bob remarked. "He's the biggest, and the strongest." Wyatt's phone buzzed in her pocket and she unlocked it to a message from Windham, asking her to pick him up from the airport tomorrow. She texted him back that she would and turned her attention back to the show. "Husky...take the shirt off." Punk said in his ear and Windham pulled his shirt over his head. "What's going on..." She went to ask but was cut short when David Otunga started hitting him across the back with a leather strap. Granny couldn't watch, she stared at her hands in her lap as Bob watched, his hands bawled up at his sides. Wyatt gritted her teeth at his yelps of pain. Bob switched the tv off, not being able to watch anymore. Wyatt stalked off to her room and lay across her bed, texting Windham to skype call her when he got the chance.

When her phone buzzed she picked it up on the second ring. "I take it you guys were watching." He said. "Yes. My god, Windham..." She said, running out of words. "It's alright, I'm okay. I'm not a sissy." He laughed, running a hand across his red face. "It hurt like a bitch though. You know, there wasn't exactly a way to fake all of that. I didn't have to play up the pain any." "Is your back torn up?" She asked, remembering the harsh smacks she heard. "A bit yeah. I mean I took seventeen hits.." "Seventeen?!" She fumed. "We couldn't watch the whole thing. It made your Grandparents sick. Why did you let them do that to you?" "It's part of the storyline, ya know. To show how evil Punk is. I sold it pretty well, didn't I?" She shook her head. "That wasn't a good segment at all. It as like two steps away from being an s&m porn, man. Lemme see your back." He stood and walked over to the mirror and turned his back to it. With one hand he pulled his shirt over his head and held his phone to his shoulder, showing her the reflection of his back. The skin was red and purple welts across his tattoos, still bloody in places. "God Windham they made you bleed?" She gasped. He showed her the formerly white towel he'd cleaned up with, now streaked with dark red blood. "There's no easy way to fake that kind of thing. I'm waiting for them to close up before I shower. That's the part I'm dreading the most."


	10. Sugar

**A/N: glad you liked it Hannah! Have some fluff with some less flippant Wyatt lol.**

Windham grimaced as he lifted his suitcase over into the back of the truck, the welps on his back grabbing at the material of his shirt when he moved. "Hey." "Hey." He replied as he slid into the seat beside Wyatt. "Bob and Granny were shocked you were coming back so soon. They thought you'd head home to Florida." She observed as she shifted the truck into drive and pulled into the line of traffic leaving the airport. "I'm a little more interested with things in Texas right now. All that's waiting for me at home is Bo, Mom and Dad are on vacation. And I'm sure Bo is doing just fine on his own." Just as he assumed he'd just barely gotten in the door at home when Granny wanted him to take his shirt off and show his wounds. "It's really not that bad. It's just scabbing over and my shirt aggravates it." He said as he pulled his shirt up with both hands and let if hang around his neck like a necklace. He could hear her sigh in shock behind him. "Did they give you anything for it?" Bob asked as he stood beside her, inspecting the long red gashes. "I've got some stuff to put on it that's supposed to help it." Windham replied, trying to pretend he didn't see Evangeline trying her hardest to look over Bob's shoulder but still look like she didn't care. "While you're here just take your shirt off kid. The less your shirt rubs them, the faster they'll heal." Bob instructed him and he finished removing his shirt before stuffing it back into his suitcase. "I'll be back down time for dinner." He told Granny before heading into his room with his suitcase.

Later Wyatt was walking into her room when she spotted him struggling to get the medicine rubbed on the gashes. "Doesn't look like that's working out so well for you." She observed, taking another jab him. "Nope. Not really." She took the jar of medicine from him and sat down behind him on the bed. Her hands on his skin sent shivers through him as she put the medicine on for him. "What's wrong?" "Oh, um, the medicine is cold. You didn't warn me." She rubbed in small circles over his tattooed back, working out the tense knots and soothing the welts. "You have magic hands." He said as he rolled his shoulders. "So I've been told." She said before she stood, rubbing her hands together. "There. You can thank me later. I've gotta go." "Got a hot date?" He jeered. "Yes." She said flippantly before striding off to the bathroom. He frowned and pulled his tshirt back over his head before walking into the living room to talk to Bob.

And hour and a half later Windham sat on the porch swing and whittled on a piece of wood, staring at her big stupid hat. She sat on the steps in her cowboys boots and jeans, her green tshirt tied up to show off her midriff. She had that stupid big black cowboy hat tilted to block the setting sun from her eyes as she waiting for her date to pull up in the driveway. She sighed and checked her phone for the hundredth time, pretending that Windham wasn't on the porch too. "Looks like you got stood up." He jeered. She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. He frowned and stood, walking by her and down the steps before reaching a hand out to her. She looked up at him questioningly. "C'mon." He said, gesturing for her to follow him. "Where...?" "C'mon. No questions, just walking." He took her hand and lead her out to Bob's truck. She followed suit and climbed in the passenger seat as he pulled the keys from his pocket and started the truck.

Windham pulled the Ford to a stop in a field, the lights of the fair grounds twinkling in the background. "I forgot the fair was in town!" Wyatt exclaimed, mesmerized by the lights. He grinned and rounded the truck, opening the door for her. He took a minute to straighten out his shirt (he'd purposely worn the blue and black flannel shirt she said she liked) and she grinned when he offered her his arm. At the ticket booth he forked over $20 for two wristbands and once inside he steered her towards the rides. "Which one first?" She grinned broadly, pointing at the Tilt-A-Whirl. She giggled like a school girl on the ride as they spun about, the ride throwing them close together in the car. After the Tilt-A-Whirl they made their way to the Scrambler, and then she suckered him into riding the carousel. "I feel like an idiot!" He pouted from an elephants back next to her lion. "Look like one too!" She teased. He stuck his tongue out at her but he smiled to himself, proud that he get her to drop her tough guys act for a bit. He was really happy that her date had ditched her. She tore a bit off of the cone of pink cotton candy she held and offered it to him. He grabbed a bit of it as their animals bobbed out of sync and watched the look on her face as she ate the candy. Let's go play some games..." She said after they stepped off of the carousel. "Nope, let's go ride the White Lightning." He said pulling her by the hand towards it. She stopped dead in her tracks. "Oooh no. I don't do roller coasters." "Don't be such a girl." He chided playfully. "C'mon tough guy. I'll hold your hand."

She looked a bit green around the gills when the carny locked the bar across their legs. Windham winked at her and took her hand, spreading his fingers and lacing hers between them. As the car climbed the first wooden hill, he could feel her muscles tighten in her arm. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer to his side. "Get ready." He whispered in her ear as the car reached the top of the hill. In the momentary standstill she gripped the bar across their laps, her knuckles white. She managed the first hill okay, but as they climbed the next even bigger hill she his her face against his shoulder. "I hate these things! Why did I let you talk me into this!" After the ride he grabbed her hat from where he'd stashed it on the seat and put it back on her head. "I could live my whole life without riding another one of those." He kissed the back of her hand when he took it. "C'mon, will funnel cake make it better?" She sat cross legged on top of a nearby picnic table until he came back with the sugary coated treat and two beers. He took a seat on the table top beside her and passed her a fork and a beer. She tore a bit off and ate it, her face lighting up. "It's been soooo long since I've had funnel cake." She gushed. "Me too." He replied, taking a bit for himself. "Thanks for this, Windham." She said as she took a swig of her beer. "This has been so much fun." He shot her a sideways glance. "Maybe we can do it agains sometime, maybe when your next date ditches you." She frowned, staring at the bottle in her hands. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be such a jerk to you. I just...I've just never been one to be pinned down, ya know? I try not to put roots down anywhere. It hurts less." "I thought you were pretty happy at the ranch." He replied, taking another bite of the funnel cake. "I am. I've just learned over the years to not get too attached to anything." He set the plate aside and tilted back her hat, sharing a sugary sweet kiss with her. It was the only response he knew to give her. When they parted he laughed and brushed his hands off on his jeans. "Sorry." He laughed and brushed away the powdered sugar he'd gotten on her chin. He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to the games, not wanting the mood of their impromptu date to get sad.

She beat him at the shooting gallery and at the ring toss, sharing her candy winnings with him. But he busted enough balloons in the dart game to win a plastic ring that he gave to her with a lopsided grin. She slid it onto her thumb before pulling him over to the strongman game. She handed over the money for a swing and grabbed the handle of the mallet confidently. With a swing the mallet connected and the weight traveled up to the 70 mark. The carny congratulated her and gave her a stuffed long limbed monkey, but she scowled at not winning one of the bigger prizes. Windham paid for a swing and with a wide ark he brought the mallet down, sending the weight up to pop the bell. The carny handed him a giant stuffed gorilla in a biker jacket. Windham turned to her with the gorilla and held it up next to her. "Yup, looks just like you." She stuck her tongue out her and punched his arm. He grinned broadly and handed the gorilla over to her. They walked along laughing and he grabbed her hand as the sun went down. They flashed their bracelets and occupied a seat on the ferris wheel, the giant gorilla between them. She took the monkey she'd won and hung it around his neck, fastening it with the velcro on its hands. He laughed and shook his head, nabbing a piece of the blue cotton candy they'd stopped to buy. They chatted and ate as the wheel revolved, showing them the entire lit up carnival. At the bottom Windham flagged the attendant away, opting for them to ride again. "This has been so much fun." She said as the ride started again. "You were looking to good not go somewhere. Even with this dumb hat." He said as he stole it and put it on. "Your Granddaddy gave me that dumb hat." "I don't care, it's still dumb." He teased as they reached the top of the wheel and he leaned across the gorilla to kiss her.


	11. Burn

**A/N: Oops, the last chapter was too fluffy. Here, have this (Watch your feels!)**

As they stepped from the ferris wheel Wyatt answered her cell phone, passing her stuffed gorilla to Windham. "Alright I'll be right there! He's with me. We'll be right there! You called already?" She said urgently into her phone as she grabbed Windham by the arm, dragging him towards the gate. "We gotta go. The barn is on fire!" "Fuck!" He breathed, picking up his pace to match hers and fumbling for the truck keys. Windham pushed the truck as hard as he could, flying back to the ranch.

Granny and Bob were already outside of the barn, she filled buckets as he splashed them on the old barn. Bob had already called the fire department, but the closest station was mikes away. Windham gritted his teeth at the sound of the horses crying in the barn. He grabbed a hose from another tap and tried to help put out the flames. Wyatt paced frantically, unsure of what to do. She made up her mind and tore her tshirt off, ripping it in half before tying it around her face and rushing into the barn. She grabbed the first horses she seen, Dillon and Willie. She lead them outside and to their running pen, pushing the frightened animals inside. She slammed the gate shut and ran back to the burning barn, sucking in a breath as she reached the door. Bob called out to her not to, but she dive in through the door, reaching for Wyatt and Hunter. She got them out safely and into the pen before heading in another time. Her lungs burned with the smoke but she had to get her Daddy's saddle out of that barn. Part of the hay loft cracked and fell, cutting her off from the open door way. She stepped back with her arm across her face, trying to think of a way to get out. Both ends of the barn were both cut off by the flames as she made her way to her saddle, grabbing it by the horn. She coughed and gagged, the smoke filling her lungs and her eyes burning. She guarded her head as a burning beam fell.

Windham dropped when she ran into the barn for the third time. She'd freed all of the animals, why was she going back in? When she didn't come out he ran towards the open doors, backtracking when the flames got higher in the doorway. He ran around to the other side, being met by the same angry orange flames. He could see her briefly by the saddles before she collapsed. He called out to her, looking for another way into the barn. He spotted the axe propped against the barn and grabbed it, taking a mighty swing into the side of the old barn. One swing, two swing, three...he kicked the hole wider and climbed through. With his face shielded in the crook of his arm he fought his way across the barn. He scooped her limp boy up and made his way to the front of the barn. Bob spotted them and sprayed the front doors, killing the flames down to knee level. Windham sucked in a breath and held her tight, gritting his teeth as he tried to jump across the flames.

Bob sprayed Windham's legs, outing the flames creeping up his jeans legs. He collapsed a distance away from the barn, Wyatt limp beneath him. He panted, filling his lungs with air before he leaned over her and opened her mouth, attempting to fill her lungs with clean air. Paramedics pushed him aside as they began tending to her and the firefighters to what was left of the barn. Bob grabbed Windham by the arms, dragging him backwards. "Let them do their jobs son!" He growled in his ear. Tears left wet streaks down Windham's ash streaked face as Bob and medic told him to sit down. In the haze of adrenaline, he'd already forgotten about the superficial burns on his legs and his arms. He shoved the medic away as they loaded Wyatt onto a stretcher to take to the hospital. "Please. Let me go with her."

He climbed into the ambulance beside her stretcher and sat beside her, taking her hand. He held her hand as they moved the oxygen mask over her face. "You stupid, brave horse-ass." He chided as a paramedic climbed inside and shut the doors to the ambulance. "Don't you ever scare me like that again." Her eyes fluttered open and she fixed her green eyes on him. "You heard me. Don't scare me like that ever again." He whispered, his lips brushing her knuckles. "Are you related to her?" The paramedic asked. "No." Windham breathed. "Married?" Windham chuckled and shook his head. "No. Just friends." She tightened her grip on his hand and he grinned. At the hospital he allowed himself to be pulled away, thankful she was finally conscious. A nurse pushed him back into a curtained area of the ER, wanting to tend to his burns. He watched them roll her away on the gurney and grinned broadly to himself. She was going to be okay. That stupid, hard headed woman wasn't going to be that easy to kill off.


	12. Only Fools

**A/N: Hey guys I'm still alive! Lol this thing called Pokemon X happened in my life...and lemme tell ya it's worse than crack. I rewrote this chapter like four times before I decided to go with this one lol. Hope you like it!**

Six days later Windham stood in the hay loft of the new barn they'd just finished building. It'd been a long hard week for the three of them but Wyatt, Windham, and Bob had just finished herding the horses into their new stalls. Bob had went back in the house, leaving the grunt work of pulling the hay in the loft to the youngins. "Alright, comin up." Wyatt called from the bed of the truck as she hooked a bale of hay and started pulling it up to the lift with the pulley. Windham leaned out of the loft, grabbing the bale and bringing it inside before letting to hook loose. "Are we almost done?" He asked. "This is getting tedious." "Yeah, just a few more." She replied.

She sent three more bales up and she called there was one more. Without looking he leaned out, reaching for the rope. It startled him when she giggled, his hand brushing her side. She'd fashioned a hoop to stand in and pulled herself to the loft. He shook his head at her and grabbed her by the waist, bringing her into the loft. "Don't you think one hospital visit in a week is enough?" "I've done that before, thank you." She replied. He poked her ribs. "I'm just glad you're not having coughing fits anymore." It'd taken her almost the whole week to get the smoke out of her system, and his light burn wounds had healed. She grabbed a few of the bales, stacking them against the wall. "Shit." The strings popped on the bale she was holding, scattering hay across the floor in a big pile. He shook his head as he grabbed the last of the bales, stepping around her to stack them. "Oh well. It's a hay loft, it's supposed to be messy."

She sighed and sat down on a bale, watching him. "You have to go back to work soon, don't you?" She asked. "Yea." "I hope they treat you better than the last time you went. I'm really used to having you around now." He grinned and sat on another bale, staring out of the open doorway as the sun started lowering. She pulled a lighter from her pocket and used it to light the old red railway lantern hanging from a beam. "You know, when you're the low man on the totem poll, you gotta claw you're way to the top. I've been trying to get people to take me seriously all my life." "What do you mean by that?" She asked, interested in what he meant. "Taylor's always been the golden boy. The talented one, the handsome one. He's Dad's favorite. And he's never had any trouble with the ladies, either." She scoffed and made a face. "No offense, but I never thought Taylor was all that cute. Kinda reminds me of the joker." He laughed and shook his head. "None taken." "Shiloh sure is wrapped around your finger." "She can do better than me." Wyatt shook her head. "Don't talk about yourself like that."

Silence fell between them. He didn't agree nor disagree with what she had said. "You're Bob and Granny's favorite, just so you know. They hardly ever talk about Taylor or your sister. But they always told me how great you were." "I have more free time to visit." He joked. "No, Bob thinks you're the most like him. Why are you so hard on yourself?" He shrugged. She moved over to him and crouched down by his feet. "Don't talk bad about yourself anymore, okay?" She said, brushing his cheek with the back of her fingers. "Because Taylor didn't bust down and wall and carry me through fire, you did. And you won be a giant stuffed gorilla at the fair. You're awesome." She leaned forward and kissed him, her hand on his thigh. He pulled away from her, crossing his arms across his chest. "Wyatt...if things were different. If I didn't have to leave...would I have a chance with you? Or are you just toying with me because you know I'm leaving soon?" She sat back on her heels, a pained look across her face.

"Were you not just listening to me? Windham I really do like you. And if anything I'm trying to hold back because I know you're leaving. Every time you smile I want to kiss you. And the best feeling in the world is when you smile because of me. But if you've got me pegged as some floozy, you've got me all wrong." "Well it hasn't been easy watching you parade around with an endless string of boys. You change boyfriends more than I change my socks." She scoffed and slapped him before springing to her feet, pacing over to the ladder. He jumped up and grabbed her by the hand. "Wyatt I'm sorry." She pushed him away, turning her face away from him. "Let me go!" He heard her sniffle and he grabbed her waist, turning her to face him. Seeing her cry made him break inside. "Wyatt, I'm sorry..." "For your information, I've only slept with one man in my life, and that was when I was 18. And you're the first guy I've kissed in months. Fuck what anyone may have told you or what you may assume, but I am not the whore everyone has made me out to be." "I'm sorry." He said, pulling her against him and wrapping his arms around her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She punched his chest as he held her close, tucking her head under his chin. "I'm sorry. I was being pig headed and stupid." "Let me go." She growled, hitting his shoulders with more force. "Not till you accept my apology. I'm sorry for being such an asshole." He kissed the top of her head and hugged her shoulders to him, keeping her from hitting him anymore. She sobbed against his chest, letting out all the frustrations that had been building on her. He sat on the floor of the loft and pulled her down into his lap.

"You're an asshole and I hate you." She mumbled against his chest. "I'm just an asshole that's slowly realizing he's in love with you." She stopped moving against him and drew her knees up to her chest. "Don't do that." She replied. "I've been trying not to." "This'll never work." "We can make it work somehow. You can travel with me." "And leave Bob and Granny? I live here because they need me, Windham." "Grandaddy can find someone else to help him. Besides, we don't have to jump in to this. We can move slow. You know, text each other. Skype calls." "You could marry Shiloh. Have a house somewhere and a couple of kids. Come home and visit when you can and she'll run your house. I'm not domestic, Windham. I'm a total wreck all of the time." "Not from what I've seen. And who says I want a maid and kids? Shiloh is sweet and all, but I don't love her." "You're not in love with me either." "Will you stop being so hard headed?" He asked, kissing the top of her head. "Can't we just spend the time we have together in peace? Save all of this drama for skype or something?" He lifted her chin with a bent finger, kissing her tenderly.


	13. Alone With You

Windham glared at Wyatt from across the table, his hands folded in front of his face. He should have known better than to trust her. He'd had the bright idea to take her to the honky tonk. Do a little dancing and a little drinking, have some fun before he had to leave the next morning. Her empty shot glass sat upside down on the table, she'd took one shot of tequila and discarded it. He glanced at her empty chair and caught a flash of the yellow Nexus hat as she danced with another bearded fellow. He felt sick to his stomach watching her and took a big swig of his beer before standing and striding over to her. "Mind if I cut in?" He asked harshly. She nodded to the other guy and took Windham's hand. "Don't look so pissy. I'm just dancing." "Yup. I bring you out on a date and you dance with every dude in the joint." He mumbled, placing a hand on her lower back as a slow song started. "You're cute when you're jealous." He scowled at her, considering leaving her alone at the bar. "Loosen up some, your muscles are tight." She said with her hand across his back as he lead her around the dance floor. "This hasn't been my idea of fun." She stopped mid stride and took his hand, leading him over to the bar. She talked to the bartender for a minute and he passed her an unopened bottle of Jack Daniels. She handed him money and she lead Windham to the door. "C'mon, we're leaving then." "Where do you want to go now, Miss Thang?" He asked as she climbed into the passenger seat of her truck and tossed him the keys. "Home." She cracked the top on the Jack and took a big swig. He eyed her, mad that she'd drink while he was driving. What if they got pulled over?

Back at the ranch she was out of the truck before he shut the engine off and was headed to the barn. "Where are you going?" He called after her. "I don't drink in the house. And since you ruined my fun, I'm going to go drink with the horses. They're better company after all." He sighed and looked back at the dark house. Granny and Graddaddy were asleep already. He shook his head and walked off after her. She was in the empty stall in the back, sitting indian style on a bale of hay. Two railroad lanterns hung nearby, casting long shadows through the barn. She eyed him and took another swig of the Jack as he sat down on the floor nearby. "Can't we just play nice for tonight? You're leaving tomorrow and who knows when I'll see you again." She said. "That was my point." She sighed and passed him the bottle before getting up to turn on the nearby radio. He drank some and hissed at the taste. He'd never know how she drank so much of it straight. She could hold her alcohol, that was for sure. She sat back on her hay bale and pulled a pack of cigarettes from her back pocket, lighting a match on the side of her cowboy boot. When she caught his eye she shrugged. "I only smoke occasionally." "You drink like you're just barely legal." She teased through a puff of smoke, the marlboro hanging from her lips. "Yeah, well your a bad influence." He retorted, passing the bottle back to her. "I'm the girl your Daddy warned you about." She laughed. She offered him a drag of her cig and he declined. "I didn't mean to piss you off earlier. I was just trying to rile you up a bit." "Well, you did a great job. I think your bad for my health at this point." He replied, kicking at the loose straw with the toe of his boot. She smiled around the bottle as she took another draw. "Ah but the best things in life are. You're too clean cut for your own good." He shook his head an accepted the bottle again.

She stood and walked over to the open back doors, dropping her cig and crushing it with the toe of her boot. Windham went to move and swayed as he stood, the alcohol taking effect all at once. "You're a pansy." She laughed and reached for his hand as George Jones sang. They were both wobbly and laughed as they danced around the empty stall. Windham stumbled, pulling Wyatt down on top of him. She laughed and kissed him, her red hair brushing his face. The warmth of her on his chest and the taste of whiskey on her lips drove him crazy and he ran his hand through her hair. Her hands slid under his shirt, exploring the warm flesh on his stomach and sides. He shifted and rolled her over. He paused for a minute while he loomed over her, looking at every little detail of her face. "What?" She asked, feeling self conscious. "You're so beautiful." He said, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb before kissing her again. "Love me, Windham."She whispered against his lips as he kissed his way from her jaw and down her neck, leaving a fiery trail across her collarbones. His hands roamed under her shirt and her skin prickled, the cool air leaving her breathless. "Let's go inside. Everyone's asleep." They stumbled around to blow out the lanterns and cut the radio off. He grabbed the bottle of Jack and her hand, leading her up to the house.

In her room she pushed him against the door, kissing him as she locked it behind them. They made their way to the bedroom, leaving clothing strewn about the room. He picked her up and threw her in the middle of the bed playfully and held his hand across her mouth to keep her from laughing. "Shhhhh!" He laughed as he crawled over her in the bed. She giggled as he kissed her stomach, moving down to the hem of her panties. She fussed with his belt buckle and jeans as his hands roamed her body, making her moan. He reached across the bed to grab the bottle and take another swig. She took the bottle from him and took a drink as he slid her underwear from her, kissing his way lower. She moaned his name, tangling a hand in his dark hair as she arched her body against him. He pulled away as she moaned his name again, kicking his way out of his jeans and boxers. "Hold on cowboy.." She said and reached in her nightstand, tossing his a bright colored plastic wrapper. "I ain't tryin to be a Momma." He put it on and she pushed him back on the bed, straddling his lap. She watched his face as she lowered herself onto him, his tongue grazing across his lips. She kissed him as she took control, trying to keep the both of them as quiet as she could.

Later she lay across his chest, the both of them coming down from their high. Windham ran his fingers through her red hair as she traced the lines of his tattoos with her fingertips. "I love you, Windham." He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, darlin."


	14. Leavin on a Jet Plane

The buzzing cell phone snapped Windham out of his peaceful sleep. "Shit!" He mumbled, fumbling to quiet the alarm. He hadn't meant to fall asleep in Wyatt's room. What if Granddaddy caught them? Last night he hadn't though of how disrespectful everything had been. Formulating a plan to get out of her room, he glanced down at the warm weight on his chest. The redhead lay on his chest, a hand protectively over his heart and a bare leg across his waist. "Wyatt, baby. Wake up." He whispered to her. "Darlin, I gotta get up." She opened her eyes slowly, glancing around the room confused. When she glanced up at his face she was even more confused. "What...what happened last night?" He looked at her with wide eyes, did she really not remember any of it?" "We um...yea..." He replied, glancing at the pile of their clothes across the room. "The hell?" She mumbled, rolling away from him in the bed. "You really don't remember any of it?" He lay a hand on the side of her face, glancing into her eyes. "You wanted me, and we made love. Then you said you loved me..." She frowned, throwing her legs over the side of the bed.

"I'm sorry." She said, her bare back to him. "I don't remember much. I drank so much..." She said, tipping the empty bottle. His phone buzzed again, a second reminder that time was slipping away. "Fuck." He whispered under his breath, grabbing for his clothes. "I hate it and I know this is the worse possible time to, but I've gotta go. I gotta catch my plane and go back to work." She nodded, her bare back still to him. "It's okay, I understand." He frowned, feeling guilty. "Listen...I'm sorry. We were both drunk...I guess we lost control of ourselves." "It's probably a good thing you're leaving. This is already awkward enough." She said as Windham slid into his jeans and walked to her side of the bed. He lifted her chin for her to look at him. Her hair was a mess of wild curls, her eyes still heavy with sleep. He kissed her sweetly before taking in the sight of her sitting there naked. "Stop." She complained, pulling the blanket over her. "Sorry. You're just so beautiful..." "Please, just go Windham." He bit his lip and glanced at her. Seeing she meant business, he walked to the pile of clothes and grabbed his shirt, pulling it on. He reached for the doorknob, turning it and pausing before he opened it. "Even if last night was a mistake, I still mean it. I love you, Wyatt."

Granny and Granddaddy were watching tv and he was thankful as he tiptoed from what used to be his little brother's room to his own to get clean clothes. Then he showered in silence, washing away any physical trace of her. He felt empty as he kissed Granny goodbye and carried his bags to Bob's truck. "You okay today kid?" Bob asked as he climbed in the driver's seat. "Oh...I'm fine." Windham replied, watching the house in the side mirror as they pulled away. "I just hate to leave." He said. He felt a pang in his chest as the house shrank away in the mirror and Wyatt wasn't standing on the porch, waving goodbye. Yeah, maybe it was best if he stayed away for a while.


	15. Someone Like You

**A/N: watch your feels, M0TI0NL3SS. I'm about to really shake stuff up!**

Monday night Wyatt kept glancing at her phone, debating on weather or not to skype him. She didn't really want to talk to him, but she wanted to see if he was okay. She had just watched him getting kicked in the head by Randy Orton. Bob and Granny were worried about him too, but there was a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She breathed in deep and called him. He looked almost surprised to see her. "Hey.." He said lightly, his wet hair clinging to his bare shoulder in wet ringlets. "Sorry. I just got out the shower." "Are you okay?" She asked. "We just saw what happened with Orton." He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "I sold it that well huh?" "So you're not hurt?" She asked. "Yea I got injured, but not from that. That was my goodbye kiss." He said, shaking his head. "The WWE let me go." "Ouch, that sucks. Sorry dude." She replied.

Silence fell between them and she looked everywhere but her phone, feeling awkward. He kept his eyes on her, wishing things hadn't gotten so messed up between them. "I guess I'll go now.." She mumbled. "Wyatt, stop." He said before she could stop the skype stream. "Let's not be awkward, okay? It happened. Let's accept it and move on. We probably won't won't see each other very much at all anymore, and I'd rather be able to talk to you than just stare at your pretty face as you sit there and pretend I don't exist." "I'm sorry, Windham. I think we should just stop all of this. There can't be anything between us when I'm here in Texas and you're in Florida. Things are hard enough when you're here." He sighed, shaking his head. "I guess if you won't try, I can't force you to love me. Even though you said you did, I guess you didn't mean it." Her lips tightened, forming a harsh line on her pretty face and the muscles jumped in her jawline. "Goodbye, Windham." She said flatly before she ended the video chat. She sat staring at his Nexus cap on her dresser, wiping away the tears that fell down her cheeks. She'd done the right thing. He was too good for her, and too far away. He'd find another girl soon enough.

For two months afterwards Windham and Wyatt didn't speak. Occasionally he'd stare at his phone and wish for it to light up. He waited and waited for a text message from her. Anything. She could text him what the weather was like in Texas. Or what she had for breakfast. Anything, just as long as she talked to him. Occasionally he'd text her, especially when he had a few beers in him. He'd text a simple 'hello' or when he was desperate, he'd text 'How are you Abigail?'. She never replied to any of them. It was strange how he missed her. It was almost like a piece of him was missing, leaving a burning sensation in his chest that work or late nights getting drunk with the boys couldn't cure. It became a bit more bearable once FCW called him back. He threw himself into working, got back on the dating scene for a while. Pretty soon another redhead caught his eye, Aubrey, and they dated off and on. Sometimes late at night though, he'd lay still in the dark with his arm around her, thinking about the redhead with the smartass smirk back in Texas. Occasionally Bob would call and they'd update each other on their lives. Windham was wrestling as Husky Harris in FCW, teaming with his brother as Bo Dallas. Bob started dealing with the rodeo, raising nasty bulls and he informed Windham that Wyatt had taken to bareback bronc riding. She'd won a few awards and a good bit of money, even a belt buckle. Windham gritted his teeth, not liking the idea of her on a bucking horse but he told Bob he was happy for her.

Things began picking up for Windham too. In FCW he came up with a new character. He grew out his hair and his beard, totally revamping himself. He gave up on trying to get in touch with Wyatt, but he took his time in Texas and morphed it into this new character, pouring all his time and energy into it. Aubrey moved in with him, sharing his life and his bed. She wasn't crazy about his new beard, and he wasn't crazy about her cat which now shared their bed as well, but things seemed to be working out fine. Eventually, the WWE bought out FCW and rebranded it as NXT, and his new character started turning heads. Before long, there was talk of him and his partners moving up to the big leagues, monday night raw.


	16. Changes

**A/N: Well I did something productive since my internet has been messed up. Updated two stories in one night!  
M0TI0NL3SS: got a lot of stuff changing. Aubrey hasn't grown on you yet? =p maybe you'll like the new blue eyed man in Wyatt's life.**

Windham sat at the kitchen table in his apartment, his head in his hands as he read over the list he'd written. Little side notes on his new character, names to drop and phrases to say. He glanced at the name Abigail he'd written at the top of the page. He'd have to use it somewhere with this new character. His thoughts drifted back to Wyatt. He hadn't heard from her in almost a year. Graddaddy barely mentioned her when they talked. Last time he said she spent a lot of time away from home. She'd come in late most nights smelling like alcohol. Bob had said he'd considered firing her and throwing her out, but she'd come home a few nights bruised and bloodied without having touched a horse. Windham felt a twinge of guilt, but he let it pass. She'd given up on him, after all. Granddaddy had told him she was wild, and he'd get burnt in the end. He still felt the burn in his chest as night, but it got easier to live with. "Whatcha doing baby?" Aubrey wrapped her arms around his shoulders, peeping at the notes he'd written. "Just thinking up stuff for this new character, ya know. Stuff I could say or do." "Whose Abigail?" She asked, pointing at the name. "I dunno. I was thinking she could've been someone special in Bray Wyatt's life. Someone influential that isn't in his life anymore. I think I'm going to call it the Sister Abigail." "Ooooh mysterious!" She joked. "Are you coming to bed?" "Go ahead, I'll join you later." He said before he kissed her. "Goodnight." She smiled. "Goodnight darlin."

Once he heard their room door click he reached for his phone. He googled Abigail Devereaux but got no results. He looked up Wyatt Deveraux and an article loaded. 'Championship Rodeo Riders Wyatt Deveraux and Connor Cohen Dating' read a headline on some gossip site. A dark haired guy with brown eyes in a cowboy hat stood with his arm around Wyatt's waist. Her hair was longer now in the picture and she'd dyed it blonde. Windham frowned at the picture. The smile plastered across her face wasn't genuine in the slightest. Windham heard the door click open again. "I'm getting lonely in here, Mr. Wyatt." Aubrey called from the doorway. He clicked off of the webpage, quickly erasing his history. "I'm coming hun." It wasn't like Aubrey would know anything about Wyatt from that one web page, he'd never talked about her, but he still felt the need to erase the evidence that he'd even thought of her. He stood and stretched his back before walking into his room. He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside and stepped out of his jeans before crawling into bed, wrapping his arms around Aubrey's warm frame. Wyatt was the past but this is Aubrey. She's his present and his future. She loves him, and the golden band on her finger proved he loved her.

Back in Texas Wyatt lay in bed staring at the ceiling, a bottle of Jack in her hand. With a hiss she placed an ice pack across her swollen face. She'd have to lie to Bob and Granny again. She'd fallen earlier. No, they wouldn't fall for that one again. She'd accidentally hit herself in the eye earlier when attempting to keep a hand up as she rode a bucking horse. Believable, but she'd used that one not long ago. Her torso throbbed with pain. A still healing tattoo, fresh scrapes from being thrown from her horse, and her ribs ached from where they'd come in contact with her truck door. She hoped to get the indention in the door fixed before Bob noticed it. At least Connor wouldn't be able to yell at her for a few days while the swelling went down in his jaw. Her phone buzzed on the night stand and she reached for it. 'I'm sorry Abigail.' It read. She gritted her teeth, tossing her phone onto the bed spread. She fucking hated it when he called her Abigail. Sure he was sorry. Just like he was sorry when he'd put her head through the windshield of his truck. She lifted the bottle to her lips, downing a giant gulp and hissing as it burned it's way to her stomach. She'd tell Bob and Granny that the horse ran her against the fence and she'd hit her face on a post. Maybe they'd believe that. She groaned as she rolled over onto her side, resting her face on the ice pack. Her gaze fell on the black and yellow baseball cap on her dresser and her breath caught in her throat. Tilting the bottle awkwardly, she downed another big gulp of the alcohol as memories surfaced.

A heavy weight stepped onto the edge of her bed, making it's way beside her. The large warm body flopped down beside her and she reached out to stroke the brown fur as warm breath puffed against her face. She glanced into familiar blue eyes before getting a sloppy wet kiss. "I love you too, Husky." The chocolate lab licked the side of her face, his tail wagging happily. "Even if you do take up half of my bed." He snorted and burrowed his way under the covers. "Do I have to tuck you in too?" She asked before taking another swig from the half empty bottle. She slid closer to the big dog's back, putting her arm around him. Aside from the rodeo, Bob getting Husky for her had been the best thing to happen all year.  
Feeling the effects of the alcohol, she closed her eyes and rubbed her swollen cheek against Husky's warm fur. "G'night boy." She mumbled.


	17. Ghost

**M0TI0NL3SS: here, have some angst. Watch your feels.**

Windham found himself in a Texas bar after a dark match on Raw. He and Jon had won their tag match as Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper with a good reaction from the crowd and Jon offered to buy him a beer. "so how's things with Aubrey?" Jon asked as the waitress brought them a second round of beers. "Good man. We're engaged." Jon clinked his beer against Windham's. "Good for you man! Getting settled down." "Yeah. Saying goodbye to my rowdy days." He lamented. "Yea. I wish ya luck, but I think I still got a few left in me." Windham shook his head. "Aubrey's fantastic...she's always there. I know where ever I go, she'll be at home waiting for me. She's super supportive too, ya know?" "That's great man." Jon commented.

Silence fell between them as they drank another round, the empty beer bottles cluttering the table. The two men people watched and Jon tapped his arm, gesturing towards the bar. Windham turned his attention, he'd been daydreaming. "Look at that one. Man, she's hot." Jon said. Windham trained his sight on the blonde Jon pointed towards. Long blonde hair, a shapely figure in tight jeans and a black top. "Yea, she's got a nice body." He replied. The George Jones song playing in the background and the beer in his system was starting to bring Windham down and he thought about calling it a night. "I think I'm going to go talk to her." Jon said, taking a moment to run his fingers through his long hair. "Maybe she'll dig the beard." He said, wiggling his eyebrows at Windham, making him laugh. "Good luck dude."

Jon leans against the bar beside the girl and she leans towards him to hear him. Windham sighs, staring down at the beer in his hands. He grabs his cell phone from his pocket, texts Aubrey how much he misses her. Windham looks up at the sound of a girls' laugh, sees her turn towards Jon. She gestures towards Jon with the drink in her hand, laughing again. Windham signals the waitress, asks for a whiskey on the rocks and pays for two beers, sending to Jon and the girl. He drums on the table top, checks his phone for a text back. None yet. She must be asleep. The waitress sets his whiskey in front of him and he thanks her absent-mindedly. He looks up towards the bar and Jon flashes him a smile, raises his beer in a sign of gratitude. Windham nods, raises his glass at him. Jon taps the girl's shoulder and she turns to face Windham, and the breath catches in his throat. She turns back towards the bar and he stares down at the table top, drinking half of his whiskey in a single gulp.

When he looks up again she's gone and he catches sight of Jon walking into the bathroom across from the bar. Windham swallows hard, fighting back the churning feeling in his stomach. As soon as Jon came back he'd pay his half of the bar tab and bolt for the night. "Thanks for the beer." The familiar voice snapped him back to reality, almost causing him to knock over the rest of his whiskey. "Y-you're welcome." She crosses her arms across her midsection almost like hugging herself. She was wearing makeup for a change, a hint of purple still showing underneath it around her eyes. "How are you, Windham?" He licks his lips, considering his answer. She nodded and he noticed how tired her eyes looked. "I'm great. How are you Wyatt?" He could smell her perfume and it took him back, giving rising to emotions he'd tried so hard to bury. "Doing okay..." She turned away, her attention caught by someone else. "It was good seeing you.." She said, laying a hand on his shoulder before walking away. "You too." He mumbled, swallowing the rest of his whiskey. He watched her as she walked away, his mind traveling back to waking up with her weight on his chest. Her red hair in his face, her slender leg across him. The scent of her perfume lingered, making heat creep up his neck as he remembered what if felt like to graze his fingertips across her porcelain skin.

"What's the matter dude? You look like you've seen a ghost." Jon said as he rejoined him at the table. "Nothing. Just seen someone I haven't seem in a really long time." He replied as he scanned the room over Jon's shoulder. He caught sight of her blonde hair, watched her hug the dark headed guy he'd seen online. "My head's pounding. I think I'm gonna call it a night." He said to Jon as he fished his wallet from him back pocket, passing Jon the money for his half of the tab. "Alright. See you at work." Jon replied. "Be careful going back to the hotel man, you look like you don't feel well." Windham nodded, the bile rising up in his throat. "I will. Thanks." She locked eyes again with him briefly but as he got up to cross the crowded bar she kissed the other man. When he made his way closer the guy was standing alone and she was no where in sight. Windham brushed past him, pushing open the door with a sense of urgency. Once outside he scanned the area, looking for her blonde hair.

He walked through the crowd of people leaving the bar, stumbling slightly. He bumped into a girl and threw up his hands when she turned to face him. It was too late, Wyatt was gone. He shook his head and hailed for a cab. What would he have dome if he caught up to her, anyway?


	18. Memories

**A/N: M0TI0NL3SS: yup, she's tripped him up big time. Ready to see what happens now?**

"Windham are you listening to me?" He snaps back to reality at the sound of Aubrey's voice. "Yea, I'm sorry babe. I spaced out a second I'm sorry." "You've been like that a lot lately." She frowned. "Is something bothering you?" "No, no. You know I've just been kinda tired, working more matches and all. Getting back into ring shape." She smiled, playing with his hair. "I'm glad you're working more, but it makes me miss you." He agreed absent-minded.

In Texas Bob grabbed Wyatt's wrist, stopping her from walking out of their door. "Don't go kid, he's not worth it." He said, looking towards the front door where he knew Connor would be waiting outside. "You don't have to be scared of him." "I'm not." Wyatt protested, trying to free her wrist from Bob's grip. "A man that hits his woman is no man at all, Wyatt." "He doesn't hit me." she lied. Bob shook his head. "Wyatt, Granny and I care too much about you to see you like this. We love you." "I love you too old man, but Connor is mine." He noted that she didn't say she loved him. Bob grabbed her by her upper arms gently, turning her to face him. "I know there's a lot of hurt in your past Abigail, but Connor is a poor excuse for a band-aid." Wyatt shook herself free from him, letting the screen door slam behind her. Connor may be a shitty boyfriend, but sharing a bed with him was better than crying alone in an empty one.

Windham sighed when he realized Aubrey was asleep. She lay with her back turned towards him, her arms crossed over her chest. He'd turned her down again. They hadn't had sex in almost a month and it was starting to get to her. He just hadn't felt up to it since that night in the bar back in Texas. He'd managed to hide away all the thoughts and feelings he had for Wyatt but seeing her that night brought everything rushing back and he was having trouble closing the floodgates again. When he was sure Aubrey was asleep he stepped out of bed gently and got on his knees, fishing for the locked box hidden under his side of the bed.

He snuck off to the living room and sat down with the box. Inside lay that stupid monkey Wyatt had given him at the fair. His wristband from the fair, a flyer for it he'd nabbed the next day. The caps off the beers they'd had, the hospital bracelet that he had to wear in order to stay the night there with her after the fire. This was all stupid sentimental stuff that he felt dumb for even keeping. That was a long closed chapter of his life that he needed to keep closed. He sighed and shut the box. Wyatt was the past. Aubrey is his present, and his future. He had to let Wyatt go. He walked back into his room and slid the box back under the bed. Tomorrow he'd put it in the back of the closet and forget it was even there to start with.

Wyatt woke to Husky growling. "Fucking dog. Move! Taking up the whole bed." Connor muttered, kicking at Husky. When Husky growled again Connor sat up. "Stupid ass dog!" He kicked Husky off the bed and Wyatt shoved Connor out of his own bed. He glared at her from the floor, his fists balled up at his sides. "The fuck?" "Don't you ever hurt my dog again." She said, patting the bed and kissing Husky's nose when he jumped up into her lap. Connor climbed back into bed, shoving Wyatt and Husky from the bed. Husky bounded after him, sinking his teeth into Connor's arm. Wyatt threw herself at Connor, taking the blow he'd aimed for Husky. She pulled the big dog away before socking Connor in the jaw as hard as hard as she could. He held his jaw as she grabbed her things and guided Husky through the door. "Goodbye, Connor."

"Shit." Wyatt muttered as she walked out into the pouring rain, Husky at her heels. She fumbled with her keys and let him jump into the truck. "Let's go home." She said to him, scratching him behind the ears before starting the truck.


	19. Fall to Pieces

**A/N: Thanks for the love everyone! I appreciate each and every email I get with reviews and follows and favorites. You guys are awesome! Thanks for continuing to read and review, you're the best! Hard to believe the story I thought up while hanging out with the older folks at the honky tonk on friday nights would get so much attention! Lol**

**M0TI0NL3SS: hmm we shall see!**

**MonroeLeigh3: Glad you do! ^_^ thanks for reading!**

**Eater of Worlds: Hi! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! I'm really glad you enjoy it! I'm very excited to read your fic as well ^_^**

"Come back. Please." Read the text message that lit up Wyatt's phone. "I'm sorry. You know how I am when I'm drunk. I'll never hurt Husky again, scout's honor." Wyatt huffed, her eyes focused on as much of the dark road that her headlights and foggy windshield would allow. She brushed away angry tears with the back of her hand, angry with herself. Husky whined beside her, laying his head on her thigh as she scratched his ears affectionately. She turned the truck down the long driveway to Bob and Granny's house, the windshield wipers keeping time with the Waylon Jennings song playing. She let herself inside with her key and she carried Husky to her room, tiptoeing down the hall to keep from waking the couple. After wiping down Husky's wet fur and climbing into clean clothes herself, Wyatt slid between the sheets of her bed. Husky jumped in, curling up against her chest. She kissed her back of his head, lightly scratching under his chin. "Looks like you're my boyfriend again, Husky." She teased and he leaned back against her, tucking his head under her chin. "You're the only guy worth two cents around here anyway." She muttered before falling asleep.

The next afternoon Granny and Bob didn't seem surprised to see her. Granny kissed her forehead before setting a basket of cheese biscuits in front of her. "Are you home to stay now?" Bob asked. "Yes." She replied as he leaned down to mess with Husky. "He didn't hurt you, did he?" "No. He tried to hurt Husky, so I left." Bob shook his head at her. "So you let him hurt you..but it took him hurting the dog for you to leave?" He frowned and shrugged. "I can fight back. Husky is a big boy but he can only do so much." Granny called Husky to the stove and gave him a piece of her biscuit. The mail truck caught Bob's attention and he headed out the front door to retrieve it. "I'm just glad you're both back and safe." Granny commented. "You both deserve better than him." "Check this out." Bob said passing a fancy gilded envelope to Granny. "I'll have to find a new suit." She slid the cardstock from the envelope, pausing to read it. "Lord, he's getting married." Wyatt looked from Bob's face to Granny's. "Who is? Taylor?" She asked. "No, Windham is." Granny replied, passing the invitation to Wyatt. There in gold cursive on off white cardstock it read 'the Wedding of Aubrey Elizabeth Powers and Windham Lawrence Rotunda'. They were to be getting married in Florida next month. Inside the invitation was a picture of them together. He was grinning broadly, his arm around a tall slender redhead. Wyatt sucked in a breath, feeling like she'd been punched in the chest. She slid the invitation and picture back into the fancy envelope addressed to Granny and Bob before laying it on the table. "I'd sure like to meet her." Bob commented. "It's about time that boy got settled down." Wyatt swallowed hard, sinking in her chair a bit. Granny watched her from behind, watched the girl's shoulders visibly shutter. "Wyatt, there's a load of clean clothes in the washer. Would you mind hanging them on the line for me?" She asked and Wyatt nodded before darting for the wash room. Granny shook her had at the poor girl.

Wyatt stuffed the wet white clothes in a laundry basket and threw the box of clothespins in on top, storming through the back door and out into the back yard. Getting married? Since when? True, she had no reason to be angry. He wasn't hers. He never really was, but that didn't keep her chest from burning. As she hung the fifth piece of laundry the tears spilled across her cheeks and she sunk to her knees between the hanging sheets. She felt so stupid for crying over it. Hadn't she let him go so he could find another girl?

Back in Florida Windham was just getting off the phone with Bob. "Who was that?" Aubrey asked. "Grandaddy. He called to congratulate us and to invite us to the ranch for a night. He and Granny want to meet you." Aubrey raised her eyebrows. "I'm nervous already." She replied. He kissed the side of her face. "C'mon, let's drive there. We're both off for the next few days. We can catch the rodeo tomorrow night, Grandaddy has horses and bulls it." She wrinkled her nose. "A rodeo? Eww." "They're more fun than you think. I promise. C'mon, let's go. I think a road trip before our wedding would be awesome." He said, pouting at her playfully. "Oh, alright. Ya big goof." She laughed, kissing him.


	20. Texas

**A/N: sorry bout the feels M0TI0NL3SS! I got the feels too man. 'There He Goes' and 'You took Him Off My Hands' by Patsy Cline were playing when i was writing this and it killed me lol.**

The next day Windham and Aubrey stood on the the front porch at the ranch. "Windham! What a surprise!" Bob said, his big hand clamping the smaller man's shoulder. "Granny! Windham's here!" He called. "And this must be Aubrey. Hello darlin, nice to finally meet you." Bob said, taking her hand and kissing the back of it. Granny rushed in, hugging Windham's shoulders tightly. "And this must be Aubrey. Hello dear." She hugged Aubrey and stood back, looking at Aubrey and Windham together. "You two make a beautiful couple!" Aubrey smiled brightly and thanked her. "As do you and Mr. Bob." Bob winked at Windham. "You got yourself a sweet talker there kid." He teased. "C'mon in and take a seat at the table, you two. Dinner is almost ready!"

Windham and Aubrey were all smiles as they sat at the table talking with the older couple while Granny cooked. "I've missed your coffee, Granny." Windham complemented. "And I've missed you, my boy. All the excitement has been gone since you left." "Well there's the rodeo, right? How's that working?" Windham asked. "It's good money and it's plenty of excitement." Bob replied and Granny cut in "It worries me too much." "Granny is worried that adopted child of ours is going to get hurt." Bob explained. Windham glanced down the hall at her bedroom door. "Out courting, I think." Bob replied, picking up on his curiosity. "Whose Wyatt?" Aubrey asked. "Our live-in ranch hand." The conversation turned to different subjects, mostly Bob telling Aubrey embarrassing stuff from Windham's childhood and the like.

"Well speak of the devil!" Bob jeered as a woman stepped through the front door. "We were just talking about you." She stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, stalled by the sight of Windham and the redhead. Windham had to keep his jaw from hitting the floor. She'd dyed her hair dark as night and her pale skin almost glowed in contrast. She wore tight jeans and cowboy boots, a long sleeved red plaid shirt rolled up to her elbows. Bob tapped the empty chair beside him with the toe of his boot. "Take a seat kid. Dinner's almost ready." She took it, glancing across the table at Aubrey awkwardly then across to Windham. "Hey Windham." She managed to say. "Hey..." He replied and Aubrey nudged his knee with her own under the table. "Oh! Sorry! Aubrey, this is Wyatt. She's the ranch hand here. Wyatt this is my fiancee, Aubrey." The raven haired girl nodded to the redhead before stepping away from the table, grabbing a beer from the fridge. Bob eyed her, but didn't say anything. She offered the beer to him and he obliged as she grabbed another. "You kids want one?" He asked, gesturing towards them with the unopened beer. "No thanks Grandaddy." Windham replied for the both of them.

Wyatt grabbed Bob's beer, popping the cap off it with her own before passing it back to him. She fished her bic lighter from her pocket and used it to open her own, making the cap pop upwards and she grabbed it in midair, plunking it on the weathered old table with ease. "Show off." Bob said, shaking his head. "You pick up a few things partying with the rodeo boys." She shrugged before taking a sip. "Isn't someone missing?" Bob asked, looking around his feet. She sighed and grabbed her beer, walking towards the door. "I thought he came in with me." She said before stepping out on the porch and calling out 'Here boy!' He strode in beside her and over to Bob. "Hey there boy." Bob said gently as he scratched the big dog behind his ears. The dog made a lap around the table, sniffing out Aubrey and Windham. "Husky, don't be rude." Wyatt fussed from behind her beer. Windham looked at her with a wide eyed look. "What?" She laughed at her confusion and patted her thigh, getting the dog's attention. "Not you, him." She laughed as the dog stood up, placing his front paws on her leg. "This here's Husky." She said as she kissed the top of his head. "My partner in crime."

Wyatt stood and helped Granny, setting out the plates for them and Bob as Granny passed plates to Windham and Aubrey. She gestured for Granny to take the seat next to Bob and she grabbed the spare chair from the hallway and turned it towards the end of the table between Granny and Windham, straddling it and crossing her arms over the back. Granny passed her the beer she'd left behind before bowing her head to say grace. Bob pulled his hat from his head and the rest of the family bowed their heads, leaving Aubrey to look around the room in confusion. This time Windham tapped her knee with his and motioned for her to bow her head. Granny prayed thanks for the food, and for Windham and Aubrey's safe trip there. She said thanks for their healthy family and asked for their return trip to be just as safe. She prayed for Wyatt to be safe during the rodeo the next night as well before saying Amen. "Amen." Wyatt, Bob, and Windham repeated. Aubrey looked at Windham oddly. Being from Chicago, she had never been to a family dinner like this before.

The family chatted cheerfully over the food and Wyatt sat at the end of the table quietly, fussing over her food and taking big gulps of her beer. She shared a bite of her porkchop with Husky before walking to the fridge to grab another beer, she popped the top on the corner of the fridge before taking her seat again. "So hows things working with that new character of yours, Windham?" Granny asked him. "We've had Wyatt bring up a few matches to show us." He bit his lip and nodded. "Pretty good. I'm working dark matches with the WWE now. The gimmick is getting a lot of attention." "So you're wrestling as Bray Wyatt totally now?" Bob asked. "Yes sir." He replied, stealing a glance at Wyatt. "Nice name." She shorted before taking another swig of her beer. "Sorry." He shrugged. "Bray Mulligan didn't have the same ring to it. And they didn't want me to use the name Waylon, there's already a wrestled named Waylon."

After dinner Windham excused themselves for the night. "I wish you'd stay with us!" Bob replied. "Your room is still there." "Thanks Granddaddy but we've got hotel reservations. This is our vacation before the wedding and all...figured we'd live it up in a fancy hotel for the night." Windham replied and Bob chuckled. "Sure, I understand. It was nice to meet you darlin." Wyatt say at the table still with her hands in her lap, unsure of what to say that would still sound civil. Granny hugged the two love birds and talked to them for a second before Wyatt stood and started gathering dishes. "It was good seeing you, Wyatt." His voice made the hair on the back of her neck rise. "You too." She said, turning to face him. "Nice meeting you, Aubrey. Y'all make a cute couple."

Back in his truck Aubrey was full of questions, especially about Wyatt. "How come you've never said anything about her?" He shrugged. "She's just their ranch hand." He bit his lip, ashamed at what he was saying. She's family to his grandparents, caretaker of the ranch and was so much more to him. Wyatt stepped in the path of his headlights as they shown at the porch, making her way to the barn. She threw up a hand in a nonchalant wave goodbye, a cigarette hanging from her lips. "She's very pretty. She seems like a really rough character though." Aubrey said quietly, watching the other girl with a cold stare. Windham didn't say anything, he only put the truck in reverse and turned around before leaving the driveway. Aubrey scooted across the seat to him when they got back on the open highway. "I'm glad you booked us that nice fancy hotel baby. I've got plans for you when we get back." She said, playing with his hair.

Inside the house Granny and Bob sat at the table. "If they get married, it win't last." Granny said. "What makes you think that?" He asked. "She's very beautiful and very sweet. Really polite too." "Most men, when they're really into a woman, can't keep his hands or his eyes off of her. Right?" Bob nodded. "Windham didn't hold her hand the entire time, and his eyes weren't on her. He's been sneaking glances at Wyatt the entire time."


	21. Blue Angel

**_A/N: M0TI0NL3SS: Thank yous ^_^ hopefully I'll surprise you a bit_**

"This is boring Windham." Aubry complained next to him. "Alright, we'll leave after the bronc riding competition, okay?" He offered. "What's bronc riding?" "Where a rider has to ride on a bucking horse for eight seconds. Wyatt will be riding one of Granddaddy's horses." "Oh. You want to see her ride." Aubrey said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Well, you know she's basically family to Granny and Granddaddy. I just want to make sure she's okay." Aubrey pouted. "But we could have some fun back at the hotel baby..." She said, rubbing his arm.

The announcers spoke over the intercom, announcing the bronc riding and announcing Wyatt as the first rider. "C'mon. She's up first. Just lemme make sure she and the horse are safe okay. Then we can go." Aubrey huffed and crossed her arms. "I can't wait to get outta hick town and go back to Florida." Windham hung his head. "I love it here. This is my second home." He said guiltily. He hadn't expected her to hate it this much.

There was a count and the horse jumped from the gate, throwing Wyatt violently back and forth but she held tight, an arm raised high. 1 second...two seconds... she started sliding to the side but wiggled back in place without lowering her arm. Three seconds...four... The horse bucked forwards and she fell head first, landing hard on her right shoulder and arm. Windham was on his feet before he knew he, leaving Aubrey behind in the bleachers as he jogged his way down to the fence. He and Bob climbed the fence together as the rodeo clown scared he horse away from her.

She shooed Bob away with her left arm as she rolled onto her back to catch her breath. "Kid you alright?" Bob asked, on his knees near her. "I'm fine." She said, glancing at Windham. Once Bob looked her over enough to stand she let Windham help her up. Bob lead them out of the ring and to the back where Conner caught up to them. "I've got her now dude." he said to Windham, offering to help her. "Fuck off Conner." She spat as she tightened her grip on Windham's shoulders. "Leave." Bob growled at him and he threw up his hands, stepping away as Windham helped help her to a chair. "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked her, lookin over her already bruising shoulder. "Yes. Go back out there to your girl. She's probably pissed." She said as Bob grabbed her an ice pack.

Aubrey was stepping down the bleachers, getting ready to leave when he got back. "I'm going back to my hotel room alone tonight and I'm going to sleep alone tonight. You can make your own arrangements." She huffed. He followed her out to the truck and she stopped, her hands on her hips. "Give me the truck keys." He laughed, shaking his head. "So you're going to leave me and take my truck?" "Give me the keys Windham or I swear to god I'll be on The next plane to Florida and I'll be calling everyone we know to tell them the wedding is off." "So you're going to leave me just because I was concerned about a friend?" "I'm leaving you because you climbed over a fence and raced to a woman that you didn't even bother to tell me about. A 'friend' that you never mention. The woman that has your complete attention anytime she's around. So go stay at Bob's and think about her and me. Decide whose more worthy of your attention, your fiancée or the rodeo trash." He gaped at her in shock. "She's not trash. She works harder than anyone I know and she's like family to my Grandparents. If you want to be mad, be mad, but don't you dare speak ill of Wyatt." Fuming, she walked back into the arena and asked Bob to take her back to the hotel room. Windham shrugged at him and gave Bob the keys to his truck. "I'll bring everyone home. If you'll lend me your truck I'll load the horse up too." Bob nodded and gave him his keys. "You in the doghouse?" Wyatt asked as he corralled the horse back into the trailer. "She's in one of her moods." He said coldly. "We'll probably be leaving for Florida in the morning."

When they got home Wyatt walked into the house still holding her shoulder. "Are you sure you're okay?" Windham asked. "I'll be okay." She replied as he helped Granny from the truck. Once inside she Asked him for a beer and he passed her one. "Thanks." She replied as she popped the top off on the side of the table. "That's not good for you, you know." He chided when she took two aspirin with a gulp of beer. "Neither is the rodeo." "Fair enough." "I wish you would give it up before you get really hurt, honey." Granny told her as she pushed strands of raven black hair behind her ears. "It'd be a cryin shame for someone like you to be in a wheelchair. Or worse. The rodeo ain't no kind of life for a woman." Wyatt smiled and kissed the back of Granny's hand.

Bob walked back in, suitcase in hand. "Aubrey sent these son." He said passing Windham his luggage. He shook his head and took them back to his old bedroom. "Bob, I need your help." Wyatt asked, chugging down her third beer. "It's dislocated. Can you fix it for me?" Bob frowned. "You sure it's dislocated?" She gritted her teeth as she lift her arm and showed him she could barely flex it. "I'm sure." Together they cleared off the kitchen table and she lay across it, her injured shoulder Hanging off the side. "Tell me when you're ready." Bob said as he lifted her arm gently. Granny offered her a wooden spoon and she took it, putting it between her teeth. Windham took her other hand, remembering how much it hurt when he dislocated his shoulder playing football. "Alright." She mumbled around the handle of the spoon. "On three." Bob said. "One...two..." He jerked hard and her shoulder corrected with a pop, a single tear rolling from the corner of her eye. Without a word she sat up and Windham let go of her hand as Granny passed her the bottle of Jack from the fridge, taking the spoon away. "Thanks." She whispered as she uncapped the bottle and tilted it upwards. "No more rodeo?" Granny asked. "Let me win one more buckle and I'll let it go." She replied. "That'd make three to my name." "You can't wear them but one at the time sweetheart." Bob replied, patting her uninjured shoulder.

Later that night Windham sat in the hay loft, his legs dangling out of the open doorway, what was left of the Jack at his side. "Drowning your sorrows?" Came a voice from behind him. "You shouldn't be climbing that ladder with your shoulder in that shape." He chided. "Lotsa things I shouldn't be doing." She replied, taking a seat next to him. "I appreciate your concern but you didn't have to come to me earlier. You'd be with your girl right now if you hadn't." "You're not the only rebellious one you know." He replied, eyeing her as she tried to light a cigarette. He took it from her and put it between her lips and lit it, taking a drag before giving it back to her. "Since when do you smoke?" "I burn one occasionally." He replied. "Why did you climb that fence?" She asked, her cig hanging from her lips. "I didn't even think about it. I had to make sure you were okay." He replied. "I wish I hadn't messed everything up with us. I wish we could still be friends." "It was no one fault Windham. Things happen. And you're fine by me, no hard feelings." She replied. "Thanks." He replied, taking a swig from the bottle and offering it to her. She took it and nodded before turning it up to her lips.

"Shoulder still hurting?" He asked later. "What shoulder?" She laughed, offering him her cigarette. He took it inhaled deep, exhaling in small rings. "Look at you showing off." "I'm surprised I can still do that." He laughed. "Well. I guess it's time for bed." He said, offering her the last gulp of the whiskey. "Yeah. I guess so." She said, taking the bottle and draining it, taking a final draw from the cig before outing it. "I guess so." He waited for her at the bottom of the ladder and halfway down her shoulder gave out. He caught her by the waist with one arm, setting her feet on the ground gently. "Slow down there tiger." He joked, still holding her waist. Without thinking she leaned forward and kissed him. He tensed up at first and then kissed her back passionately. She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest as she apologized. "I'm sorry. I'm way out of line." He rested his chin on top of her head, his arms around her shoulders. "Do you love her?" She asked. "Yes." He replied. She nodded as she squeezed him tighter, listening to the beat of his heart. "Then please take her home tomorrow. Take her home and kiss her often. Bring her flowers, tell her you love her every day. Just go back to Florida and marry her please." He swallowed hard as she turned to walk away. He held onto her waist and pulled her back to him, lifting her face to his. "I love her, but there's a girl in Texas that has my heart." She pulled away, shaking her head. "Maybe in the next life, cowboy." She said sadly as she walked back to the house. He stayed behind, petting Waylon's nose as she walked away. "Take care of her, okay Waylon?" He asked as the horse nuzzled him.


End file.
